Suicide Prevention Information for Teens, 4th Ed.

Teens often face a host of stressors and confusing feelings as they grow through the adolescent years. The emotions associated with puberty, self-doubt, confusion about the future, family problems, and school pressures can sometimes seem overwhelming. Recent statistics show that suicide is the second leading cause of death among persons aged 10–34 years. But suicidal behavior is not a normal response to stress. Mental health professionals claim that most teen suicide victims have a mental health disorder, a history of substance abuse, or both. When suicide risks are acknowledged and warning signs are heeded, many teens in distress can learn that the feelings that led them to consider suicide are treatable and that there is hope for the future. 

Suicide Prevention Information for Teens, Fourth Edition, begins with information about suicide in the U.S. and its updated statistics. It gives insight into teen suicide from a global perspective and how culture plays a role in teen suicide. It discusses mental health disorders and life-threatening behaviors linked to suicide risk, including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and self-injury. It offers suggestions for recognizing suicide warning signs, and it explains the most commonly used treatments for suicidal ideation, including counseling and medications. In provides tips on how to prevent suicide, how to recover from a suicide attempt, how to help someone who is recovering from an attempt, and how to cope with mental health issues. A section on suicide loss addresses the complex grief experienced by those who are affected by a suicide death. The book concludes with a list of crisis hotlines and a directory of additional resources for further information.

The book is divided into parts and chapters where parts focus on broad areas of interest and chapters are devoted to single topics within a part.

Part One: Suicide Facts And Statistics provides information and the latest statistics about the occurrence of suicide in the United States and around the world among teens, adults, and people of different ethnic backgrounds. It discusses the relationship between firearms and suicide, and it explains how the stigma associated with receiving mental health services can contribute to suicide risk by making people less likely to seek appropriate care. The part concludes with facts on suicide among LGBT youth.

Part Two: Mental Health Disorders And Life-Threatening Behaviors Linked To Suicide Risk discusses the types of mental illness that have the highest risk for suicide, including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, borderline personality disorder, and schizophrenia. Alcohol and drug abuse, which are second only to depression and other mood disorders as the most frequent risk factors for suicide, are also addressed, and several chapters offer facts about other related concerns, including abusive relationships, self-injury, and eating disorders. 

Part Three: Recognizing And Treating Suicidal Ideation offers tips about identifying the types of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, the warning signs that may precede a suicide attempt, and the psychological and medical treatments that are available for dealing with suicidal thoughts. Information is also provided about recovering from a suicide attempt and planning for a hopeful future. 

Part Four: When Someone You Know Dies From Suicide explains the facets of grief often experienced by people left behind after a suicide. It offers suggestions for working through the grieving process and for supporting others who are grieving. 

Part Five: Preventing Suicide discusses important components of mental health and offers practical suggestions for helping someone who may be depressed or experiencing suicidal thoughts. It discusses suicide as a preventable problem and identifies ways in which suicidal behaviors can be reduced, and provides suggestions for helping a suicidal person. 

Part Six: If You Need More Information includes a list of crisis hotlines and a directory of organizations able to provide more information about suicide, suicide prevention, and suicide risk factors.